Sunday Morning Line with Len Hayward: 4/12/09

Published 7:00 pm, Saturday, April 11, 2009

Len Hayward is the Sports Editor for the Reporter-Telegram. He can be reached at hayward@mrt.com.

This and that as we await a final resolution to the situation at Lee High School:

Frankly, it's been a long and interesting week. And hopefully this week some closure will come to the ongoing saga with Lee football coach Randy Quisenberry.

I don't think Peter Berg and his creative team with the TV show Friday Night Lights could come up with something like this. But anyway…

What will happen, I can't speculate, but with the words "separation agreement" stated in the MISD Board of Trustee's agenda on the MISD website, then the signs lead to the obvious move.

What that also means is lawyers are involved, and what kind of agreement it will be I don't know. But in doing a little research on this type of stuff it seems likely Quisenberry won't be the coach after Tuesday and this will also cost the district some money because he has time left on his contract.

When this all started, I thought it would take a lot less time and be wrapped up sooner plus there might be some more information out there to explain exactly what happened. But that didn't happen and the rumors have only continued to circulate and become more outrageous.

Hopefully as time goes on more facts will come out, and the story can be put to rest. The Lee football program will survive this, and coach Quisenberry will move on and be a head coach again.

But for right now, it's a tumultuous time for those involved in all this because this affects people's lives and livelihoods beyond the head coach.

n I've received a number of e-mails this week in support of coach Quisenberry and they started coming into my e-mail box beginning last Monday. They've come from all over the state and are from coaches, players and friends all talking about his character as a coach and man. A few examples are on our sports blog on www.mywesttexas.com.

What's interesting is I haven't had an e-mail or phone call from those who haven't wanted him coaching at Lee anymore. Those people have been well represented on our comment section below the stories on our Web site, but none have e-mailed or called me like his supporters have.

n On a lighter but just as interesting note, it seems a bill that would force the University Interscholastic League to let in private schools has some serious legs in Austin.

One bill has been put forward that says private schools will compete in UIL districts but will compete for separate state titles. That's just stupid. If you're going to let private schools in, then let everybody play for the same titles.

But what is interesting is that this change will have a major impact here in Midland with three private schools that have solid athletic programs.

For travel reasons, all three would probably love to join the UIL and it would make for some interesting districts around here in a bunch of sports. Imagine, Midland Christian, Greenwood, Monahans and Andrews all in the same football district. That's great stuff.

There will be a certain percentage of private schools, if this bill passes, that will want to stay away from the UIL, but I would venture to guess that most would want in.

What few people fail to understand is that letting private schools in the UIL won't have a large affect on the two larger classes, but it will have a major impact in Class 3A and below. And it will likely be the dissolution of TAPPS.

Most private schools in the state are in the 3A, 2A and Class A range when it comes to enrollment.

There are a number of issues to consider when it comes to this, and what's likely to happen is something similar to the steroid bill. A bunch of politicians will pass a bill, get all the publicity for doing it, and then leave it on the UIL's desk to figure it out.

Whether this bill gets through or not is still up in the air, but whether people like it or not, it's coming sooner or later.

n And finally, if anybody on the creative team for Friday Night Lights needs a few ideas, give me a call. I might have a few for your show for next season.